I have something sort of similar but it is more of a muscular ache - in the spot between my ribs and breasts, especially on the left. This was not rib pain but muscular aches - my doctor said it is from the pressure of the expanding uterus on the ribs (pulling them out a bit). I don't know if this is what is happening to you or if it is the baby kicking your ribs. What helped me was lying on my side or getting on all fours for moment to relieve the pressure on the ribs (getting on all fours is also a good way to encourage the baby to change positions). I also made ergonomic changes to all of my computers at home and work and got better chairs - that has made a world of difference. If your pain is more muscular, these may help you as well, but if it is from baby b's foot, your options are much more limited. Good luck.
I went online and got soft running bras, no wires, very stretchy, and they helped.
Just this morning, my son was snuggling up in bed with me, and darned if he didn't stretch out his legs to the fullest and press hard against my ribs, sighing in comfort as he did it.
All I can say is, once baby is out, the pressing immediately stops and the bone immediately feels fine. I know that's not much consolation when you have weeks to go!
Take care.
Thank you for the information Annie. I am starting to feel like a hostage in my house. All my bras hit the area where baby B is crowding me. so I have been wearing a tank top with no bra and that helps , but I can't go out in public that way and all bras including loose jogbras hurt...I will figure something out hopefully!
Baby is pressing his foot against your rib with all the force of his growing leg. My son did this, and boy, did my rib hurt from the inside. When he was born, he was a little bowlegged, too, from all the pushing against the inside of me. But it straightened out, of course. Babies' bones are soft, mercifully. The only think you can do is try to encourage the baby to shift position, either by tickling or by lying in different ways yourself. But you might be stuck with it. My son is three now and if we are lying on the bed side by side, he still will push against me hard with his feet.
I'll tell you Karen it really scared me at first....I thought maybe I had broken or sprained a rib, because as you know that is what it feels like. I did a little more research and I read that it goes away the second you give birth & sometimes when the baby drops to get in position for birth....so you only have 3 weeks to go!!!
I'm 37 weeks and I've had them same poin for about 2 months. Along with back pain in the exact same spot. Sometimes I even get numbness around the ribs. I don't know what causes it but it's really annoying. I haven't found anything to make it go away.